Elliot Miller
by TotalDreamer
Summary: Elliot Miller lived her perfect life untill tradegy strikes and tears her away from everything she's ever known.
1. Prologue

Prologue

My mother always told me never to worry about tomorrow, because now was all that mattered. And this had been true for a total of exactly fifteen years. For fifteen years I lived with my beautiful young mother, in a small apartment that I would always call home. And no matter what our situation, whether we had enough money to pay the next electricity bill or if there'd be another shooting in the building, we always got through things.

My mother is the most beautiful person I know, inside and out. Sometimes when I think about how her life turned out, I want to cry. At sixteen, she was so full of life. Now she's working as the receptionist at the dentist's office. She always told me that I looked like she did when she was my age. I'm tall, but not too tall, about 5'5. I have long dark hair, but blue eyes and dark lashes. I used to think that I'd ruined my mum's life, but she always insisted that she wouldn't have life any other way. But still, I can't help but feel guilty. That's because she had me when she was only sixteen. That's only a year older than I am now. Once her boyfriend, my father, found out she was pregnant, he got scared and left her. And once she told her parents, they freaked out so much, that they kicked her out and call her a disgrace, among other things. My mother told me that they were very religious, and she's never seen either of them since. After that, she got some help from some older friends, and here we are now. Our life is not what some people would call perfect, but we like it like this just fine. Well, of course we'd like to win the lottery, so my mother would never have to work for her sleazy boss again, but we can keep dreaming. But for the meantime, I was going to go to school, get a scholarship to a good university, and become a doctor so I could buy my mother a mansion. Of course, life never turns out the way you want, and I was about to find that out big time.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Here's my second chapter or whatever, since the other one was just the prologue. Thanks to those who reviewed. I know this is not that long, and I'll try to make the next chapter longer (and it does get more interesting, I promise), but here it is anyway. Enjoy!

Chapter One

I leaned back on my chair, shook my hair out, and stared up at the ceiling. Around me, the chatter grew louder, and there was a sudden eruption of laughter from the back of the room. No doubt it was the 'cool kids' giving poor Tiffy a hard time again. She was so small and vulnerable, she just seemed to shout, "Hurt me!" Turning around, I slammed my History text book against the side of the table and yell, "Cut it out you morons!" in their general direction.

"Ellie, you need to let her learn to fight her own battles, or she'll always be needing you to fight them for her." My best friend Jemma said this as she poked me in the shoulder.

"Yeah, I know, but she's just so cute, and they walk all over her."

Just as I finished saying this, the bell rang for the end of the day and there was a great rush to get out of the room.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it took so long to finish the day!" I cried.

"El, you say that _everyday_!"

"Oh, are you making fun of me? And on my fifteenth birthday?" I say jokingly.

"Of course, but you know I love you!" With that, she ran off laughing, her long blonde hair flying behind her. Smiling to my, I set off in the opposite direction to walk home. I was excited because although mum usually worked late, she'd promised me that she'd get home early so we could celebrate my birthday together.

"Elliot!" I heard a familiar voice yell out from behind me. I turn around to see my sort of/sort of not boyfriend racing up to me. I had known Chad Pierce since forever it seemed, and only recently had we become more than just friends. The sun glinted off his gelled blonde hair and he caught me in a hug that lifted me off my feet and swung me around.

"Ah, put me down," I cried, but secretly I was loving it.

"So, how's my favourite girl?" He smiled.

"I'm good, as always."

"That's great. So you're coming with the gang?"

"Coming? Coming where?" I frowned slightly in confusion.

"To Scooter's." Scooter's was the local hangout/burger joint where if you wanted to be seen, that was the place to go. "Where're all going. I told you about it before."

"I don't remember, and I can't anyway. I'm spending the night with my mum."

"But it's your birthday! You can spend time with your mum any day. Besides, there's a party at one of the guy's house after that I want to go to."

"Yeah, but this is special. I hardly ever get to see my mother these days."

"Big deal. Come on, we're leaving now." He started to tug on my hand but I pulled it away.

"I don't think you understand. And it is a big deal. I don't want to go to Scooter's or to 'one of the guys' place. Besides, someone always ends up getting drunk, and the police get called."

"Elliot, you said you'd come." He was serious now.

"No I didn't. Why would I? You know how much this means to me." I was serious too.

"Ellie, what's with you these days? You used to be fun but now you've changed."

"I have not change!" My voice was getting louder. "You know, ever since you've joined the football team, you've become all cocky and arrogant. I don't think I know you anymore." With that said, I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my face anymore, but that didn't matter because I'd already left running. Behind me, Chad yelled out to my back, "Fine, I won't bother you anymore, because it's over Elliot, it's over!"


	3. Chapter 2

A/N Hi everybody, finally, what you've all been waiting for (hopefully), the next chapter of my fanfic. Sorry it took so long, actually, it wouldn't have, but I was having trouble logging in, but since it seems to be working now, here it is!

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Chapter Two

I walked around the corner to my building, swinging my bag and rubbing at my red eyes. I didn't want my mother to know I'd been crying. Taking one last look at myself in my compact mirror, I took out my keys to the apartment and turned the handle.

"Mum?" I cried out expectantly.

The apartment was silent. Confused, I stepped in further.

"Mum?" I yelled out again.

Still there was no answer. Perturbed by the utter silence, I surveyed all the rooms. It didn't take long, since the apartment only held two small bedrooms, a living nook, kitchenette and a bathroom. If we wanted to do our laundry, we had to use the common laundry room downstairs. The tour proved that there really was no one else in the apartment. I went to my bedroom shrugging. Although mum had promised to get home early, she might have been held up, and knowing mum's boss, I wasn't doubtful. Besides, this would give me time to recollect everything that had just happened. I'd been dumped, dumped for the first time in my life by my 'only sort of' boyfriend. And on my birthday! I stood up and kicked the wall. I couldn't believe it! After all those promises he'd made me to convince me to go out with him. And after all that, he'd proved to be no more special than all those other boys who'd asked me out before. Hopeless, all of them. And Chad Pierce was no better. And even as determined as I was to feel no remorse over my recent short-lived relationship, I still couldn't help but feel as if my heart had been smashed and broken into a million tiny pieces. I lay back on my bed exhausted. Heartbreak sure took a lot out of you. I closed my eyes, just for the moment to rest them, but you know what they say: famous last words…

* * *

I when I first opened my eyes, I had no idea where I was. But on closer inspection, I realised I was actually only in my room. I sat and rubbed at my sleepy face before looking around. The room was dark and silent. I realised the blinds weren't even closed yet, and I was still in my school uniform. I got up and walked around the room in a daze to close all the blinds. When I switched on the light however, everything came flashing back. It was my fifteenth birthday, I went to school, then got dumped by a guy who I now know wasn't worth it. Something else was missing though, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. And then I realised. Mum. When I got back home to the apartment, mum wasn't there. Alarmed now, I realised she still wasn't home. What time is it? I guess I must have fallen asleep, and now I had no idea. I walked into the kitchen to check the clock above the sink. It read 7:30pm. I'd been asleep since four o'clock! Before I could even let this really sink in, there was a banging at the front door. A few steps took me there and I swiftly opened it, fully believing that behind the door would be my mother. But it wasn't. Instead, before me stood two police officers. I stepped back, surprised. The one on my left was tall and solid looking. The one on my right was shorter and more grandfatherly. Not that I'd ever know a grandfather before, but that's how I imagined they would look. Like the ones on TV. The tall police officer spoke first.

"Good evening miss. Was this the residence of Caroline Miller?"

"Was? Y-yes, this is." I stammered. I had no idea what was going on, but suddenly I was feeling very nauseous, and wanted to sit down.

"And are you her daughter, Elliot Miller?" he continued.

"Yes," I replied.

"Well, I'm Officer White, and this is Officer Burley. We're here from your local police station. We have some news to tell you about your mother. Do you mind if we come in? I think it would be a good idea if we sit down."

"Um, okay."

Quickly, I ushered them in. I did _not _like where this was going. Sitting down now, the first Officer resumed talking. He looked very grave and serious. It was making my heart beat irregularly fast.

"I'm sincerely sorry Miss. Miller, but we're here to inform you that your mother has been in a fatal auto accident. She was taken to the hospital, but didn't make it in time. I'm sorry."

Suddenly, I found it very difficult to breathe, and my body was completely numb. I couldn't feel a thing. The officer continued, "There was a large and messy accident involving a truck on the freeway. Many were involved…" but I wasn't listening anymore. I sat rigid still and there was a continuous ringing in my ear. How do you react to this kind of news? What are you supposed to do in a situation like this? Me? I just shut down.

* * *

Ah, there it is. I've actually already wriiten the next chapter, but I have to type it up still, so hopefully, it won't be too long. Oh yeah, and please, please review. Thanks, much appreciated:) 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

When I woke up this morning I had one blissful second of utter ignorance before I remembered everything that had happened the day before. But what was the point in remembering now when that was all I had been able to think about the night before? I groaned and pulled my covers over my head. The bright morning sunlight hurt my eyes, and I felt as if I had a brick for a head. I hadn't been able to sleep at all, but I must have fallen asleep at one point during the night, because I recalled having a nightmare about the crash which took my mother too soon from this world, only instead it was me in the car, and I was the one who had died. I shuddered at the memory of the dream. It had been so realistic; I couldn't get it out of my head. Just as I turned my head to look at the clock sitting on my side table, the phone began to ring. Groaning at the sudden violent interruption of the silence, I lay there waiting for whoever it was to hang up. But they didn't. The phone just kept on ringing. Eventually, unable to stand the incessant sound of ringing any longer, I dragged myself out of the bed to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" I croaked into the mouth piece. My throat was really dry.

"Hello? Is this Miss. Elliot Miller?"

"Yes, this is she."

"Hello, Elliot, this is Officer White, we met yesterday."

"Yes, I remember." Hearing his voice brought back yesterday's feelings of difficult breathing.

"That's good. Elliot, I have some good news for you."

"Oh, yes?" I was curious. After having the one single person who I had loved most in the world taken so suddenly away from me, how could anything ever be good again?

"Elliot, we've contacted your mother's parents, and after hearing of your situation, they have agreed to take you in."

I was shocked. My mother's parents? The same ones who had kicked her out at only sixteen and never contacted her again, because she was pregnant with _me_? And after over fifteen years they had been absent from my life, they wanted to take me in now?

"Elliot, are you still there?" Officer White asked after I hadn't said anything for awhile. I'd been letting the news sink in, to really understand what this all meant.

"Yes, sorry, I'm still here," I replied quickly.

"Elliot, I know you're still in shock right now, but we need you to come down to the station. Your grandparents are here. They seem very impatient to meet you. Would it be okay if we sent a car for you?"

"Um, okay."

After hanging up, I sat there bewildered for at least five minutes, before I finally got up to prepare for my first ever meeting with my grandparents.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi people, here's the next chaper, finally, and I hope you'll find it more interesting than the last:) Enjoy, and don't forget to review, 'cause it'll be much appreciated!

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Chapter Four

I smoothed my skirt and patted my hair, while I sat waiting nervously for my grandparents to come out from the other room. After I had gotten off the phone with Officer White, it wasn't long before the car sent for me arrived. Sitting here now, I finally had time to recollect everything that had just happened in the last hour. Everything had been done in such a rush; I hadn't had time to think about anything and everything yet. But what was I supposed to think? These people, my grandparents, wanted me to live with them, permanently. But why? I had never even met them before. I didn't even know what they looked like. Besides, why now? If they had really ever cared, why didn't they try contacting us before? There must have been a way, surely. I didn't know what I was going to say to them. Did I really want to live with them? They were strangers to me. Even stranger as they had kicked my mother out, and left her to fend her herself, and me. How would they treat me? My mother had hardly ever spoken about them before, and if she had, it was never kindly. Her eyes would turn hard and cold, her face tense and unemotional. I had always wanted to ask her more about these grandparents, but if I ever did, she would always change the subject and shut me out. It never failed to put her in a bad mood, and so growing up, I learnt not to ask. I sighed out loud. Even though I was deathly tired and had the worst headache, I still had sense enough to know I had no choice _but_ to go live with them. Because if I didn't _then_ what would happen to me? I would get turned over to the state. Become just another file, another statistic. I would be put in an orphanage. And _then_ what would happen to me? I was fifteen, no one was going to adopted me, they'd want a baby, or a small child, who had never really belonged to anyone else before. A child who had no memory of their past. But I did. Oh, how I had memories of the past. I would never truly belong to anyone else. If I were put in an orphanage, it was doubtless I would stay there until I was eighteen, and even after that I probably still wouldn't know what to do with myself. Frankly, I didn't _want_ to be adopted. I didn't want some other people pretending to be my parents. I didn't want a new mother. I wanted _my_ mother. Oh how badly did I want her back. It was not yet even twenty-four hours yet and I was missing her so badly, it hurt in every part of my body. Tears welled up in my eyes. _Poor me_, I thought to myself. Before I could think of any more self pitying thoughts, the door on which I had my eyes glued on the whole time opened. Right, this was it. For the first time in my life, I was going to meet my grandparents, people who wanted to take me in and call me their own at the worst moments of my life. People who I had every right to resent after what they had done to my mother. My first reaction upon seeing them was surprise. In my mind's eye, I had built up the image of two large and solid intimidating people. I thought the expressions on their faces would be heartless and cold. But instead, that was not the image that confronted me at all. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Before me stood any ordinary elderly looking couple. Not frail, but certainly not strong either. I could see where my mother, and myself also, got her looks from. Because my grandmother looks just like us. We had the same features and all. The same dark hair, (no, it wasn't grey at all) and blue eyes. But most surprisingly of all, was she had that same soft dreamy smile which my mother and I had often worn. _How odd_, I thought to myself. My mother had always made out that these people were the epitome of all evil, but to me, they didn't look evil at all. My grandfather was taller, and stood behind my grandmother, with his hand on her shoulder. He smiled at me encouragingly. It made the corners of his hazel eyes crinkle to do so. His plentiful head of hair was streaked a wonderful silvery-grey on fading blonde. While they stood there smiling at me, obviously wanting me to come forwards to them, or at least say something, I just stood there staring numbly at them. Well, what would _you_ have done? It was my grandmother who spoke first. Her voice was still strong.

"Elliot, we are so pleased to meet you, at last," were her first words to me.

I stood there, still unable to say anything in response. I was in such shock, such a state of surprise; I couldn't seem to move any part of my body at all. Her smile faltered for a split second, but it was so fast recovered from, I wasn't sure if I had seen something hard pass through her eyes or not. It was my grandfather's turn to speak now.

"We understand Elliot, that you've suffered quite a loss, and aren't feeling very talkative right now, but we know you'll get over that, but know that we are here, you won't have to worry about anything at all."

There was something strange about what he had just said, but I couldn't figure it out at this moment.

"Now Elliot," my grandfather continued. "Since this _is_ our first meeting, we thought we should introduce yourselves to you. My name, of course, is Jonah Kennedy, and your grandmother here is Viola."

"Kennedy?" I repeated confused. I was able to speak at last from this piece of information, which had snapped me out of my silence. "I thought your, our, last name was Miller?" My grandparents glanced at each other quickly.

"I'm sorry Elliot," my grandmother said. "You must be mistaken. Our family name is Kennedy, and has been for hundreds of years. I'm sure you'll quickly find out what an honour and privilege it is to hold that name." she smiled patronisingly at me. "You see Elliot; your real name is Kennedy. I don't know what _she_ told you, but Kennedy is _my_ name, was _her_ name, and it is yours too."

Looking at my grandparents now, I could see how false my first impression of them had turned out to be. I had the feeling that there might be hope for me yet. How wrong was I, because looking at them now, they were starting to look a lot like that menacing image I had built up in my head.


End file.
